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TfL's Ultra Low Emission Zone plans not good enough, say four London councils

Four inner-London councils have joined forces to lobby Transport forLondon (TfL) to dramatically expand and advance its proposals to improve air quality in the capital and see-off possible fines from the EU.

TfL’s plans to create an Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) across centralLondon, in order to reduce polluting exhaust fumes and thereby improve health and avoid a projected £300million EU fine, were put out to public consultation last week.

Among these proposals are plans to charge vehicles that do not meet new ULEZ emissions standards upon entering the ULEZ - which follows the current congestion charge boundary - from 2020.

But Hackney, Camden, Lambeth and Southwark councils say these proposals do not go far enough in creating cleaner air and will not result in London avoiding heavy fines.

The councils also fear that:

The charge may lead to polluting vehicles diverting around the ULEZ, resulting in potentially worse air quality around the zone's fringes

Taxis, some of the most polluting vehicles in London, will be exempt

There is no information on how funds from charging will be used

There are no scrappage schemes, or other incentives, for non-compliant vehicles proposed as part of the scheme

TfL’s proposal is welcomed as a necessary first step to improve the capital’s air quality, responsible for the equivalent of around 4,300 deaths in the capital each year, and I would urge boroughs to support the proposal.

However, whilst we agree that the ULEZ is cutting edge and innovative, the boroughs of Hackney, Camden, Lambeth and Southwark are concerned that the ULEZ proposals do not go far enough. In particular, the current proposals will not result in EU Air Quality targets being met across London.

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Hackney Council

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The UK currently faces EU infraction proceedings due to its failure to meet EU targets for nitrogen dioxide and, in London, boroughs potentially face being handed down a portion of any resulting fine by the Mayor of London